Sonntag, 17. März 2013

OOTD: Say hello to spring @ Fatty Fashion Fun Challenge

wooly cap/Wollmütze: selfmade/selbstgestrickt; cardigan: selfmade/selbstgestrickt; jumper/Pulli: H&M; top: H&M; skirt/Rock: H&M; leg warmers/Stulpen: selfmade/selbstgestrickt; boots/Stiefel: Bluntstones
Yeah, I know. I would have loved to take my pictures for this spring-related post in a sun-drenched garden full of crocus flowers and snow drops - but at the moment Spring 2013 looks like this, and at least the sun is shining! 

A few days ago I finished knitting this cardigan - one of my first posts on this blog was about me combing the dark brown wool for this particular crafting project in August [!]. Making all this wool has been a bit of a hassle and I lost heart throughout the project but now it is finally finished. The pattern for the cream coloured stripe is from a 1980's book and subtly retro and the whole thing is incredibly warm and comfy. 

I brought some snowdrops into the house to celebrate this rather weird kind of Spring - wish you all a fabulous week!

Love, Qaroline 




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Ja, ich weiß. Ich hätte die Bilder für diesen so ausdrücklich frühlingshaften Post ja auch gern in einem sonnendurchfluteten Garten gemacht, der vor Krokussen und Schneeglöckchen nur so platzt, aber im Augenblick sieht Frühling 2013 noch so aus - aber wenigstens scheint die Sonne!

Vor ein paar Tagen habe ich endlich, endlich, endlich diese Strickjacke fertiggestrickt - einer der ersten Posts [im August!] auf diesem Blog handelte vom Wollekämmen für dieses Projekt. Die Massen an Wolle herzustellen war ziemlich anstrengend und mitten drin hatte ich dann auch überhaupt keine Lust mehr, aber jetzt ist es geschafft! Das Muster für den hellen Streifen stammt aus einem Strickbuch aus den 1980n und ist dementsprechend ein klitzekleines Bisschen retro ...

Und ich habe dann doch einfach ein paar Schneeglöckchen in die Vase gestellt, um den Frühling bei mir zu haben - ich wünsche Euch allen eine wundervolle Woche -

Love, Qaroline


Mittwoch, 13. März 2013

Fat Bitch Assignments #3 & #4



I have been really negligent of the fat bitch assignments in the past few weeks - maybe because I tried to finish/start so many crafting projects! I have had a few ideas for the assignments but didn't really find the energy to create something blog-worthy - nevertheless I want to at least share some thoughts about the Ecourse challenges.

Assignment #3: Challenge yourself to wear something that you might have felt weary about in the past. Break up your routine with something different and you might open yourself up to some radical new styles!

Over the last two years I have tried to challenge myself a lot. In the past I would never have worn short(ish) dresses, bare the wobbly part of my arms or anything that would have shown the outline of my big big belly. A lot of the clothes I have worn in my recent outfit posts have put me out of my comfort zone but it has been a very worthwhile experience. With every new style I feel like becoming a bit freer, less inhibited in my choice of clothes.

double chin,  big belly: yeah!
Discussion #3: Do you have some fatshion tips to share? Please do!

Go to thrift stores, start making your own clothes (even if it is just a knitted hat or scarf or a brooch you made yourself), don't just focus on clothes in your "actual" size,  interfere with the clothes you buy to fit your body (taking them in, letting them out, add applications etc.), be bold and unapologetic.

Assignment #4: Create a tribute to a fat body. Your fat body or somebody else's. Make a papier mache figure, draw a silhouette photograph your rolls, curate a collection of images of bodies similar to yours, etc. 

This is just an idea: I would love to collect historic pictures of fat women wearing historical fashions, especially fabulous Edwardian and 1920s flapper styles.

Discussion #4: How has seeing fat bodies in the media affected you? Like Adele, Gabourey Sidibe, Aidy Bryant from SNL, Beth Ditto, Melissa McCarthy, etc. Do you gravitate towards fat positive music, TV and movies?

I have certainly noticed that fat bodies have become more visible during the last years. German popular culture is immensely fat-phobic and almost all fat-positive things like movies or music tend to originate in the USA or Great Britain. Some music and some movies I love are definitely fat positive but I can't say that I go out of my way to find them - and I would really like to read more fat positive novels or children's books! Still, looking at the growing number of fat positive German blogs and link ups like the Fatty Fashion Fun Challenge the fat acceptance movement has definitely arrived here even though most newspapers, (online) magazines and TV programmes still don't have a clue.